Card-index file.



No. 692,525. Patsnted Feb. 4, |902. 2

W. D. & J. D. KELLY.

CARD INDEX FILE.

(Application led May 2B, 19Go.)

(Nn Model.)

\ kb L y UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

WILLIAM D. KELLY AND JOHN'Dj KELLY, OF CHICAGQILLINIS.

CARD-INDEX FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,525, dated February 4, 19,02. l

Application filed May 28, 1900. Serial No. 18,228. (No model.) f

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM D. KELLY` This invention relates to improvements in card-index files of that class in which an adj ustable follower is located in the holder and adapted to be forced against so as to compress the contents of the case-and then secured by some suitable fastening means, so as to maint-ain the compression. 4

The primary object of this invention is to have a self-locking follower that will autolnaticallyA lock itself in any adj usted position in the casing and hold the contents of the casing under compression and which may be instantly released and the compression removed without the manipulation of any locking device. 1

Another object is to have the adjustable follower self-locking in such manner that it Will automatically lock itself Ain any adjusted position whether the compression be at one side or the other thereof, so that the same follower may be used for compressingletters and other papers at either end of the casing or drawer.

A further object is to have the adjustable followerself-locking byfriction alone, whereby is avoided the necessity for employing any kind of fastening device that requires manipulation by hand to lock and unlock the follower in any adjusted position.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which` Figure 1 represents a-perspectiveview of 'a filing case or drawer for a cabinet embodying our invention. Fig. 2 represents a central longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a planview of the friction-plate removed from the follower. Fig. 4 is a section ou the line 4 i of Fig. 3,' and Fig. 5 is a detail section showing the attachment of the guide-rod to the drawer or casing.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts inthe various figures of the draw-- ings. v l

It will be understoodr that may be embodied inmany different styles of card-index and letter files whether they bein separate boxes or casings or whether they be in the shape of drawers for cabinets, and we Ving drawings, A indicates the drawer or casing having a central longitudinal slot B in the bottom thereof, and C represents a rectangular follower fitting transversely within the drawer, but with sufficient looseness to move freely therein, said follower being secured about the center of its length,at the lower edge thereof, to a friction-plate D, which is preferably composed of metal and, asshown in the drawings, isbe'nt toa generally U shape, with the crown thereofflattened, as clearly shown tin Fig/t. To'the'fla'tteued crown, which is of 'substantially the width ofthe slotl B, the follower is secured by oney or more screws, nails, or other suitable fastening means. The ends or flanges E of the friction-plate are bent outwardly, so as to lie against the under side of the bottom of the drawer. The friction-plate is also preferably provided with a perforated Vear F, struck down therefrom to receive a guide-rod G,which extends centrally along thev opening B in the bottom of the drawer and is rsuitably secured at its ends, respectively, to g the front and back walls of the drawer. vperforation in`- the ear F is of sufficiently greater diameter than the guide-rod to prevent a binding or frictional grip upon'the The guide-rod at any time.

Into the slot Bin the drawer-bottom project the perforated ears or tabs K on the indexcards L, and through the perforations in such tabs the guide-rod is passed, and thus serves to hold the cards as against removal from the drawer, although they may be freely moved our invention IOO back and forth therein. For convenience in changing the cards, as well as removing and replacing the follower, the guide-rod G should be detachably secured to the drawer, and in the drawings we have shown a simple means for accomplishing this result, consisting of a metallic plate II,rigidly secured to the drawerfront and having a screw-threaded perforation therein,which engages the screw-threads I, formed on or secured to the shank of the knob J, to which the rod Gis rigidly secured. The inner end of the rod simply enters a socket or perforation in the back wall of the drawer, from which it may be freely withdrawn.

It will be observed that when the frictionplate is rigidly attached to the follower the follower C by reason of its attachment at its center of length to the friction-plate D and resting at its ends on each side of said plate upon the bottom of the drawer acts as a lever upon said plate whenever the upper free edge thereof is forced to one side or the other of a central position, thus causing the corresponding end E of the friction-plate to bind tightly against the bottom of the drawer, so as to lock the follower in any adjusted position,where it will remain as long as the deflecting tension, due to the compressed papers between it and the end of the drawer, is maintained. However,by merely forcing the upper edge of the follower toward the compressed papers as soon as it reaches a substantially upright positionthat is, as soon as the friction of the plate D is released-the follower will move back bodily, carrying with it the friction-plate, and thus release the papers from compression. To reestablish the compression, it is only necessary to force the follower up against the papers tightly and then release it, when the expansive force of the papers will cause the follower to cant and instantly lock. To promote the sensitiveness of these operations, we prefer to have the inner face of the front wall, and the back wall, too, if desired, slightly inclined from top to bottom, as shown at M in Fig. 2, and to have the follower substantially wedge-shaped,with the apex of the wedge uppermost, as plainly shown in said figure.

In many instances a single follower, as shown in Fig. l, will be sufficient, and it may be employed with equally satisfactory results to compress the filed papers and lthe indexcards between it and the drawer-front or between it and the back end of the drawer, because the friction-lock will operate whether the pressure is applied to the follower upon one side or the other. In other instances it may be desired to have a plurality of followers in a single drawer, two of such being shown in Fig. 2, one cooperating with the front wall and the other with the back wall of the drawer.

Not only is our device simple and durable,

but it is very cheap in construction and will effect a large saving in the manufacture of cabinets of any considerable number of drawers, besides which it may be easily and quickly operated without the necessity for manipulating any kind of fastening device, but simply by pulling or pushing upon the follower.

Obviously changes may be made in the shape and construction of our device and the friction on the lock lnay be diiferentlyapplied; but all such changes are contemplated by our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a card-index file, the combination with a casing having a longitudinal slot in the bottom thereof of a guide-rod extending centrally and longitudinally through said slot, a follower, and a self-acting friction-lock between said follower and the casing, said rod passing freely through said lock substantially as dcscribed.

2. Inacard-index file, the combination with a casing havinga longitudinal slot in the bottom thereof, and a guide-rod extending centrally and longitudinally through said slot, of a follower, and a friction-plate secured thereto and adapted to engage the lower side of the casing-bottom, said plate having a loose separable connection with said rod, substantially as described.

3. In a card-index file, the combination with a casing having a central longitudinal slot in the bottom thereof, of a follower fitting transversely in said casing, and a friction-plate rigidly secured to the lower edge of said fol-A lower, said friction-plate being of substantially an inverted-U shape with the body thereof fitting and working in the slot in the bottom and the ends or danges thereof lying below and normally parallel but out of contact with the bottom, and adapted to be brought into locking engagement with the bote tom by the deflection of said follower, substantially as described.

4. In a filing-case, the combination of a longitudinally-slotted support, a follower movable over said support, a friction-plate, a connection through said slot and between said follower and said friction-plate, whereby said follower may freely slide over said support, and similar faces upon opposite sides of said follower, whereby the pressure of cards, and the like, led in said case, upon either side of said follower, will cause said follower to be defiected from an unlocked position so as to lock said friction-plate against the under side of said casing and beyond the sides of said slot, substantially as described.

WILLIAM D. KELLY. JOHN D. KELLY'. \Vitnesses:

F. II. DRURY, M. E. SHIELiDs.

IIO

IIS 

